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A girl plopped down into the seat next to Bill’s, messenger bag hitting the floor with a thud that suggested more textbooks than just the one she was carrying.
“Thought I was going to miss the start today. You know how he is about latecomers and I wasn’t about to be his latest example,” she said, directing a bright smile at Bill before leaning down to dig a notebook and pen out of her bag.
“Yeah, he’s pretty harsh about the time,” Bill agreed. She was honestly amazed she’d managed to form a sentence, even if it was an inane one. Her new neighbor was gorgeous, all skin like copper and twinkling eyes and brilliant smile.
Yeah, no way were her notes going to be great today with something other than the Doctor’s lecture to hold her attention.
“I’m Martha, by the way,” the new arrival said, turning that smile back on Bill.
“Bill.” She hoped that her smile was enough to convey her very deep interest in continuing this conversation later because before she could say anything else, the Doctor stepped onto the platform and began his lecture with his normal dramatic flair.
By the time the lecture was over and the eccentric professor had disappeared, Bill’s nerves had had enough time to build to a buzzing overload in regards to the conversation she was hoping to have and then dissipate again.
“That was brilliant,” Bill enthused, shifting in her seat to face Martha. The other girl apparently wasn’t in much hurry to leave if her slow gathering of her belongings was any indication.
“Always is. He’s a bit odd but always brilliant. I don’t know how he keeps so much stuff in his head. Mine usually feels like it’s about to explode just from revising for a couple of exams at once.”
“I feel like my head’s gonna explode every time I leave one of these lectures. Forget trying to actually make sense of my notes!”
“Are you actually in his class?” Martha asked, cocking her head to one side in interest. “I’ve never actually met someone who’s gotten in. They just book the giant lecture halls because people kept sneaking into his lectures to listen.”
“Nah, I’m not even an actual student,” Bill admitted. “Work down in the canteen but I’m hoping to enroll eventually. Until then,” she gestured at the emptying lecture hall around them, “free education at its finest.”
“No kidding! He’s the best there is so you’re getting a crash course in everything.” Martha hefted her bag over her shoulder as she stood and Bill mirrored the motions. “So hey, you wanna grab some food or a coffee? I’ve got an exam in a couple of days and I need something to motivate me to study.”
Bill grinned. “I’m much more likely to be a distraction than motivation but I’d love to.”
Martha pushed at her shoulder playfully. “I was talking about food and caffeine being motivation.”
“Just thought I’d warn you. I’m a very good distraction.”
The pair of them were both laughing as they walked out of the lecture hall together, making plans to find food and reveling in the discovery of something new that had nothing to do with the Doctor’s lecture on poetry.